Labor Party:
Party Platform

As approved at the 6th Party Congress in May 1997:(A slighly amended platform adopted by Amir Peretz in 2006 is listed below)

The Israel Labour Party will strive to create a new reality in
which there will be no more terrorism and war, and in which
tremendous financial resources will no longer be committed to the
arms race. Israel's peace and security policy will be aimed toward
ending the Israeli-Arab conflict. The regional policy will be based
on pursuing economic cooperation in various fields; mutual ties in
the areas of culture, science and technology; joint development of
the standard of living and welfare; and fulfilling the promise of a
better future with greater opportunities for the young generation in
our region. In order to achieve this goal, Israel will continue to
conduct peace negotiations, while at the same time, combating the
forces of fundamentalism and terrorism that aim to destroy this
process. This new reality will strengthen Israel's security and
standing and will encourage economic prosperity and the welfare of
the state.

Israel's Security

The Government is responsible for the personal and
general security of the citizens of the State of Israel. Israel's
peace policy is based on the reconciliation between both peoples and
their readiness to live in respect of mutual rights to
self-determination and statehood, and on the superior deterrent
capability and strength of the IDF.

A stable peace is, in and of itself, an important security element
for the strength of the State. This stability is based on, among
other things, defensible borders and vital security arrangements
which the Israel Labour Party sees as essential elements for all
future security arrangements.

The reconciliation of the people of the region and their readiness
to live in respect of the rights to self-determination are
important elements for the nature of the region.

Israel will continue to develop its qualitative advantage over
those of Arab armies, and will place a high priority on independent
research and development in the area of defense and on expanding the
manufacture of innovative and sophisticated weaponry and material.
Combating terror and subversion, will be a fundamental component of
Israel's peace and security policy. The fight against terrorism
requires a firm stand, sophistication, determination, patience,
regional and international mobilization - the foundations of which
have already been laid by the previous Labour Government.

Israel will struggle to prevent nations whose ideologies are based
on hatred and ruin, first and foremost, the nations of Iran and Iraq,
from obtaining weapons of mass destruction. It will work within the
regional and international framework to prevent the lethal
combination of fundamentalist ideology and unconventional weapons.

Final Status Agreement with the Palestinians

The negotiations will be based on the Oslo Accords, with
guarantees for the State of Israel to exist in peace and security
within defensible borders, and with precise definitions of the
elements for the normalization of relations between Israel and its
neighbors:

1. Jerusalem:

United Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, under Israeli
sovereignty. The Palestinian residents of the city will enjoy
municipal rights in the quarters in which they reside, and special
arrangements will be established for the sites sacred to Christianity
and Islam.

2. Self-Determination for the Palestinians:

The Labour Party recognizes the Palestinians' right to
self-determination, and does not rule out in this connection the
establishment of a Palestinian state with limited sovereignty.

3. Security:

The Jordan river will be Israel's eastern security border and
there will be no other army stationed to the west of it.

4. Borders and Settlements:

Israel extends its sovereignty over areas that are major Jewish
settlement blocs.

5. The Right of Return:

Israel does not recognize the right of return of Palestinians to
areas under Israeli sovereignty. Israel will negotiate with the
Palestinians on allowing the return to areas under Palestinian
control.

Israeli Relations with Syria

The Israel Labour Party will continue to pursue a peace agreement
with Syria. Within the framework of the peace agreement, Israel will
be open to compromise on the basis of land for peace and security,
U.N. Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, and the guidelines of
the Madrid Conference.

Security Arrangements:

Within the framework of a peace agreement, Israel demands strict
and diverse security arrangements. Israel insists that a peace
agreement with Syria will include Syria's obligation to prevent
hostile activities against Israel, emanating from its soil and areas
under its control.

Type of Agreement and its Implementation:

The agreement will be implemented gradually and will be
accompanied by confidence building measures. Within the framework of
the peace agreement, Israel insists on the full normalization of
relations considered standard among neighboring countries living in
peace.

The Question of Water:

An agreement of the source of water, its protection, development
and use will be an integral part of the peace agreement.

POWs and MIAs:

In any peace agreement with Syria, Israel will demand that the
Syrian government work toward the return of Israel's POWs and provide
any and all information on the fate of its MIAs. Israel will also
insist that Syria enable the return of the remains of Eli Cohen.

Settlements:

Existing settlements on the Golan will be strengthened.

Israel - Lebanese Relations

Israel is prepared to reach a peace agreement with an independent
and sovereign Lebanon. Israel has no territorial designs on Lebanon
and recognizes that the international border serves as the border for
peace between the two countries.

The peace agreement, which will include diplomatic ties and full
normalization of relations, will protect the security interests of
the State of Israel and its citizens in the north through a variety
of security arrangements that will ensure, among other things, the
complete cessation of terrorism and the prevention of its renewal.

Within the framework of either a comprehensive settlement or a
partial agreement, the Israel Labour Party will strive to create
conditions that will enable the IDF to withdraw from Lebanon in
return for a guarantee of peace and well-being for the residents of
northern Israel.

In any agreement, either full or partial, there will be guarantees
for the security and safety of the residents of the security zone in
southern Lebanon and the forces of the South Lebanese Army.

Changed Platform by Amir Peretz

Amir
Peretz, the chair of Israel'sLabor Party, has developed a new platform for Labor that calls for
the creation of a permanent Palestinian state and a plan to "lease" the West
Banksettlement blocs from the Palestinians. The platform contains a
so-called "Hong
Kong principle," which refers to the agreement
between Great
Britain and China in 1898 where Great Britain leased Hong Kong for 99
years. China regained sovereignty over Hong Kong in
1997, and pledged that it would keep it democratic character.
Peretz wants to do the same with the West Bank, where
he would "lease" the settlement blocs of Ma'ale
Adumim, Gush
Etzion and Ariel from the Palestinians in exchange for money or land.

The platform also outlines a timetable
for renewed peace negotiations with the elected Palestinian
leadership, which would not include an agreement for
a temporary Palestinian state. Peretz believes that
a temporary Palestinian state based on the conditions
of ending violence and terrorism is not a good solution because the violence will only
continue against Israel. Israel would only consider
acting unilaterally, as it did with the implementation
of the disengagement
plan from the Gaza
Strip in August 2005, if negotiations failed. Under
Peretz, Israel would not conduct negotiations with Hamas,
even if they are elected to the Palestinian government.

All outposts must be immediately dismantled and removed because they
undermine the peace process, according to the platform.
Peretz has been highly critical of Ariel
Sharon because he says he gives more money to the
establishing of settlements and outposts and ignores
the Galilee and Negev regions inside Israel proper.

The platform also states that Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel and the Jewish people,
but will consider giving the Palestinians a capital
in the surrounding villages and towns by raising the
issue of municipal boundaries.